Bathing boat



April .19, 1927' P, N.'WALTER$ BATHING BOAT Filed July 14, 1926 mama Apr. 19,1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

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Application filed July 14,1926. Serial No. 122,297.

The object of this invention is to provide a bathing boat of simple, inexpenslve and reliable construction which can be readily folded into small compass for convenience 5 of packin and transportation and which boat can be as readily unfolded and arranged to afford a buoyant skeleton .strueture having 'dependin seats that permit the art-ial immersion 0 an occupant of the oat while it is in service.

M invention comprises a U-shaped buoyant dy of li ht material, preferably balsa wood whereo the end an side members are divided in sections and the respective sections are hingedl I connected so that they may be folded toget er, which side members are connected byjfspaced-apart transverse stri s of webbing constituting a depending flexlble seat and leg rest that are foldable go with the bodystructure, and which side members arealso connected adjacent their forward extremities by detachable clamping bars constituting a substantial tie-memher for the structure and affording a step 95 or support for a suitable mast. The invention also comprises features of construction which will be hereinafter .de-

scribed and claimed.

In thedrawings- Fi re 1 is a perspective view of a bathing fiat embodying the preferred form of my invention, showing the structure as equipped with a sail and wlth a sculhngor steering paddle.

5 Fig. 2 1s a transverse section of the boat,

as on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view of the body folded. Referring to the drawings, 5 designates a transverse. stern member'from the respective ends of which extend elongated side membersfi, the whole being constructed referably of balsa wood and constituting a ight buo ant structure.

T e stern member is transversely divided midway between its ends, and the two sec tions thus formed are hinged together by means of a horizontal hinge 7 which is suitably secured to the bottom of the sections,

so that they may be folded together. On

the top of the stern sections are secured two mating hinge leaves 8 adapted to re' ceive a the matin elye fectually loc s pin 9 which, when it is inserted in portions of the leaves, of- -the two stern sections in of the boatas occupant of the boat.

open position. When the pin 9 is withdrawnthe stern sections may be folded on them hinge 7 as previously mentioned. The

leaves 8 a 0rd metal reinforcing plates against which bear the heads of the bolts or rivets 10 which secure the hinge 7 to the stern sections.

Each of the side members 6 of the buo ant structure is divided between its end e, and the two sections thus formed are connected on their inner sides, by means of a vertical, hingell, so that the forward sec- 1210B. can 'be swung inwardly and folded against the rearward side section. The outer faces of the two hinged side sections are provided with metal reinforcin plates 12 against which bear the heads of t e bolts or rivets 13 which secure the hinge 11 to the side sections.

,The corresponding sections of the two 76 side members are connected by transverse webs of flexible material, such as canvas, which arelooped to embrace said sections and sag below the same, thus affording a seat 14 and a leg rest 15 for the occupant of the boat. The webs sag below the side members of the structure so that a portion of the body, as well'as the legs, of the occupant, is immersed in the water; it being noted that the seat 14 is located adjacent the large and buoyant stern member. The occupant thus faces the open forward end of the boat and his le s and body are subjected to the action 0% the stream between the side members as the boat pro esses.

The side members 6 are rigid y held together, adjacent their forward ends, by means of a air of tie bars 16 which embrace the si e members and are detachably clamped thereto by vertical screw bolts 17. The lower bar is preferably provided on its upper surface with suitably located crosspieces 18 which serve as inner steps or races for the forward ends of the side members.

. .The tie bars 16 are centrally perforated, as at 19, to receive and an ort a li ht sectional mast 20 equip ed wit a suita le sail 21 which can be rea iIymanipulated by the Fastened. to the stern member 5 is a rawhide loop 22 to which the locking pin 9 is convenientl attached, which loop is adapts ed to receive a sculling or steering paddle 23. no

When the sectional stern and side members are swung open a U-shaped body is provided. The stem is then. locked by means of the pin 9 and the side members are rigidly connected b the tie bars 16, as seen in Fig. 1, thus a ordin a rigid, light and durable body of rent buoyancy, which may be used as a bat in boat, with or without the sail. By removing the mast and, sail, if they are used, and then withdrawin the pin 9 and detaching the tie-bars 16 the ody of the boat may be folded, as indicated in Fig. 3, and the several parts thus be packed to ther in small compass.

1. A bathing boat comprising a substantially U-shapecl buoyant body composed of a sectional transverse stern member and sectional elongated side members extending therefrom, hinge connections for the adjoining ends of the respective sections, flexible material loosely connecting the side members, and means for locking the respective members in open position.

2. A bathing boat comprising a substantially U-shaped buoyant body composed of a sectional transverse stern member and sectional elongated side members extending therefrom, hinge connections for the adjoining ends of the respective sections, flexible material loosely connecting the side mem bers, and means for locking the respective members in open position, said means including a pair of hinge leaves arranged in opposition to the hinge connection for the stern sections, and a detachable pin for said leaves.

3. A bathing boat comprising a substantially U-shaped buoyant body composed of a sectional transverse stern member and sectional elongated side members extending therefrom, hinge connections for the adjoining ends of the respective sections, flexible therefrom, hinge connections for the adjoining ends of the respective sections, flexible materiai loosely connecting the side members, and means for locking the respective members in open position, said means comprising a pair of binge leaves arranged in opposition to the hinge connection for the stern sections, a detachable pin for said leaves, tie-bars embracing the forward side sections, and means for detachably claniping said bars to the side members.

5. A bathing boat comprising a substantially U-shaped buoyant body composed of a sectional transverse stern member and sectional elongated side members extending therefrom, a hinge connection on the under side oi the adjoining ends of the stern sections, 21 pair of hinge leaves on the upper side of the stern member at the adjoining ends of its sections, a detachable pin for said leaves, hinge connections on the inner sides of theadjoining ends of the respective side sections, flexible material loosely connecting the side members, and a rigid tie connection for the forward sections of the side members.

Signed at New York in the county and PHILIP N. WALTERS. 

